Vacuum scrubber



March 7, 1939.

J. H. LONGSHORE ET AL VACUUM SCRUBBER Filed Oct. 8, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l ummy w 1.0 H nwmm m 6L. J Im m A @M W y.

- March 7, '1939. .1. H. LONGSHORE ET AL 2,149,453

VACUUM SCRUBBER Filed Oct. 8, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventors Jameslillongahore, DaveESmallqgi, and

By EJwarcIL.Pei'tg Patented Mar. 7, 1939 VACUUM: SCRUBBER James H. Longshore, Dave E. Smalley, and Ed- 1 ward L. Petty, Brazil, Ind., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Reconstruction Finance Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation Application October 8, 1936, Serial No. 104,670

15 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for cleaning floors and floor coverings and to pneumatic means for progressively depositing the refuse material, dry, wet or liquid, as the case may be, in a receptacle carried'by the machine.

Greater efficiency is obtained with a machine operating laterally and the concentrated Weight type is more efiicient thanwhen the weight is divided by being partially supported on wheels; 10, A particular objectof the invention is to provide handle and the rest of the machine;

a machine which. may be operated with all of the weight on the brush, backwards and forwards and also laterally, in any of those directions at the will of the operator.

V In cleaning rugs and fabric floor coverings it is very desirable to remove dust, lint and loose particles before scrubbing with suds, and it is equally desirable to remove the dirty suds as quickly as possible, to prevent soaking the rug and to pre- An important object of this invention is to provide a machine which will operate as a dry dust vacuum cleaner when moved laterally in one direction, then as'a scrubber when moved laterally in the opposite direction,-supplying its own suds, and again by reversing its-direction of travel to immediately pick up the dirty lather and suds and deposit, them in a tank carried by the machine.

Another object is to provide a scrubbing ma for a scrubbingmachine which can be raised free' from the floor and held there making the machinequickly available for polishing without the removal of the vacuum mechanism. The object also is to provide means for easily 7 and quickly removing the whole vacuum mechanism from the rest of the machine, for use in cleaning draperies, upholstered furniture and the like, leaving the polishing machine intact for separate use. a

Another object is to provide a nozzle for the vacuum device which will adjust itself automatically to an unevenfioor surface and'to the gradually wearing off of the brush bristles; also to provide a squeegee in the nozzle which is automatically adjustable to hold dust, liquid, or other matter to be picked up, where the full suction of the vacuum can act to remove it; also to provide a squeegee which can be easily renewed at small cost. V

vent the dirty solution from drying in the rug. 7

' the like.

We accomplish the above, and other objects which will hereinafter appear, by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- v Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a scrubbing. machine embodying one form of our complete invention; g

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of same, showing other positions of the vacuum nozzle in dotted'lines;

Fig. 3 shows the suds tank removed from the Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 4- 4' of Fig. 1;

a Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the vacuum nozzle on the line 5- -5 of Fig.2;

Fig; 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1; Fig. 7 is a section on the line 'l-'! of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the under side of the body of the machine with the ,brush re'moved showing its clutchhalf;

Fig. 9 is a view of the same with the cam plate removed to show the sprocket reducing gear;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the top 'of the brush body showing its clutch half Fig. '11 is a vertical section of the two clutch bearing members ready for cooperative assembly; i Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the nozzle-sup,-

porting hanger, and r Fig. 13 shows the .vacuum'devi'ce removed from:

the rest of the machine and mounted on'casters and equipped for use in cleaning draperies and Figures 4. to 7 inclusive are one. larger scale than the other figuresof the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the machine body comprises a plate I here shown as circular although it may be oval, rectangular, or otherwise, and a depending marginal flange 2; An integral lug 3 at one side has a socket in which a push bar handle 4 is removably secured. Under the lug 3a cranked axle is journaled and a pair of wheels 5 mounted on the ends of the axle may be lowered to support that side of the body, or elevated out of floor contact.

Mounted upon the plate I is an electric motor 6, the armature shaft of which bears a bevel wheel which meshes with a similar wheel on the.

upper end of a shaft 1 vertically mounted in bear-' ing support by the plate. A sprocket wheel 8 on thelower end of shaft 1 is drivingly connected by a link belt with a larger sprocket wheel fixed on a hub 9 concentrically journaled below the plate I. The lowerend of the hub 9 terminates with a clutch half.

Mounted concentrically of plate I, and surrounded by the flange 2, is a scrubbing and/or polishing brush, comprising a circular wooden body l supporting annular rows of depending I bristles II and as here used, of a type illustrated and described in Patent No. 2,021,608, issued Nov. 19, 1935, but other brush structures may be used.

The brush ispreferably removable and to that end the body I0 is provided'with a clutch half which mates with that on the hub 9, whereby the brush is rotated from the hub, but is readily separable from its mounting and driving posts. The sprocket gears are protected by a lower metal plate I2 and felt gasket l3 which are removably secured by screws 14 as shown in Fig.' 8.

The brush may be tilted to throw the weight of the machine on the front or rear of the brush by raising or lowering the handle bar 4. Thus, by raising the outer end of the handle bar the weight will be greatest upon the far side of'the brush, which, if the brush is being driven counterclockwise, will cause the machine to travel to the left of the operator; but by lowering the handlebar the weight will be on the near side of the brush or side closest to the operator and the machine will travel to his right, and will continue to scrub or polish during both travels.

For use as a scrubber liquid soap-suds is sup 1 plied from a tank l5, through a rubber hose 16 connected with the bottom of the tank and connects with a tube 30 discharging through the plates l and I2 into a channel 16' in the body In of the brush, from which the suds is distributed to the bristles. The tank is closed at both ends and has a spout l1 near its upper end through which it-is filled. ,It has a partition IS with a strainer l9, and is provided with a glass gauge 20 to show the contents of the tank. A two-part band 2I is clipped to the lower part of the handle bar 4 and that end of the tank has a tongue 22 which is slipped between the two parts of the band to retain that end of the tank. A like band 23 is clipped'to the upper end of the bar 4 and carries a wing bolt 24, which is straddled by a bifurcated tongue 25 from the tank. By slipping the hose l6 off of the tube 30 at the brush end and turning wing bolt 24, the tank may be removed from the machine as shown in Fig. 3, This is v done whendry-cleaning is in progress.

The pipe l6 has a valve 21 by which the liquid 7 from the tank may be cut off. It also has a second valve controlled by a handle 28 which is connected with thecranked end of a rod 29' that extends up to within reach of the operatorshand and terminates with a cranked end for his manipulation of the valve. The vacuum mechanism is assembled on a body, here shown as comprising a base ring 32, which rests upon the plate I, a horizontal member 33 located above the motor 6 3| is a guard rail and support forthe nozzle hereinafter to be described. The body as a whole is removably secured to the plate I by bolts having wing nuts 35, for convenient manipulation in removing the vacuum mechanism from the scrubber.

A standard 36 is secured to the top of the horizontal member 33 and supports an integral ring 31, upon which a fan housing 38 is mounted. The fan 39 (see Figs. 6 and 7) is operated by an electric motor 40, mounted upon the fan housing. Theeye of the fan is opposite an opening 41 in the bottom of the housing and this opening is surrounded by an inwardly beveled flange, as best shown in Fig. 6, which forms a seat for a correspondingly tapered end of an elbow 42, which is and supported from the ring 32 by vertical posts 34.

rotatably adjustable on a center-bearing plug 43, against the lower portion of the elbow. This bearing 43 is seated in a socket 44. A set screw, threaded through the member 33 and bottom of the socket, contacts the lower end of the bearing plug 43 and provides means for pressing the elbow 42 into its seat 4|.

Secured by tongues similar to those described for the suds tank to the fan housing above and to the base of the vacuum mechanism below, is a tank 45, into which the fan housing discharges, as shown in Fig. 7, under a hood 46, the function of which is to direct the incoming refuse matter downwardly. The tank has a hand hold 41 by which the tank may be raised to slip its holding tongues out of engagement, thereby leaving the tank free for emptying when full.

Mounted uponthe top of the tank 45, on a sleeve 48 is 'a fabric bag. into which dry dust with a cable 53 that runs to a floor plug (not' shown) or other electric source of current. A switch 54, in the handle head (see Fig. 2) is controlled-by a lever 55, normally held by a. spring 56 away from handle 51, andin position. to open the switch and out 01f current to the ,motors except when the lever 55 is pressed against the handle by the hand of the operator. In other words,the motors stop when the operator releases 3 the lever 55 and only run while he presses the lever against handle 51.

The fan 39 creates a suction through the elbow A pipe 59 is fixed to the elbow so it can be used asa leverage in turningthe elbow. The

pipe extends horizontally far enough to clear the body 32-33 and is connected with an elbow 60 by an easily manipulated coupling 6|. The other end of the elbow is connected with a vertical pipe 62 that'terminates with a laterally extended nozzle 63. The mouth of the nozzle is an elongated slot-with parallel sides, midway between which is a hinge bar 64, whichis supported by the nozzle at the two ends of the slot, where it is retained by milled nuts 65, 65. Wrapped around the bar 64 is a metal split-sleeve U-shape in cross section, forming a hinge connection and attaching means 7 for a flexible strap 66, here shown as made of l Fixed to the pipe 62, near'the upper end of the pipe, is a collar 68, and depending from the collaris a hanger 69 which is slotted vertically at its lower end to guide a retaining bolt "Ill passing vthrough the slot into a thickening of the nozzle wall 63. The'hangerjiil has a pair of clips H,

'H with adjacent'ends formed in hooks that receive theba'r 3! between them. The bar 3! has holes at the front of the machine and on two opposite sides for the engagement therein'of the;

- 2,149,453 I i i the means and construction herein disclosed com-' 1 end of lever 12 to lock the nozzle at those posi- With the assembly of parts and their positions 7 shown in'Figsfl, 2, 6 and 7-; the weight of the machine will be on the 'front offthe brush andupon the brush being driven clockwise by the motor the machine will'move to the operator's left or in tions. The lever "is fulcrumed at .13 ,(Figs 6 :and 12) and is continuedjthence'upwardly into a handle 14 (Figs. 1 and 12). 'A spring 15 holds the lever normally in locked position where it I maybe retained by a wedge 16 to guard against,

accidental release.

' A spring 11 between the fixed collar 68 and the tubularstem 18 of the nozzle yieldingly presses the nozzle against the floor." A spring bar. 19 has V a'hook with sloping end causing the bar to. spring out and pass the collar 6 8. The hook then en ;gages the top of cllar,68 by the spring action of the bar and locks the nozzle in raised position out of contact with the floor, until released by pushing the hook off of the collar, therebybring 1 ing'spring 11, into action.

the directionof the nozzle 63. The squeegee in the nozzle will tip toward the brush 'closing the passageway on that side and opening it ontheopposite side. Thefan will create a suction causing the nozzle to dry clean the surface over which it passes and the brush will follow with a scrubbing action. Then by lowering the handle bar'to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. l the weight will be on the rear of the brush,

causing it to move the machine. laterally to the right of the operator. The nozzle follows and tilts in the opposite,directioncausing the rubber strap 66 to swing over and to act as a squeegee, scooping up the dirty suds into the suction which is now on the side toward the brush. The dirty suds is deposited in the tank 45, from which the.

dust collected by the preceding dry-cleaning travel has escaped into the bag 49. Q

When it is desired to operate the machine in a straight, forward and backward direction, 'the nozzle 63 is changed to a front position as indi- H cated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. The wheels may be turned down into use if it is not desired to have I the entire weight of the machine on the brush.

by leaving the brush tobe used as a scrubber or polisher; f i r 1.

The suction mechanism as above removed may 'be mounted on caster wheels, holes for which are provided in the ring 32,'the nozzle uncoupled at 6| and a hose 8! attached to the tube 59, as shown in Fig. 13. The other end of the hose has a tubular handle 82 terminating with a suction nozzle 83, and the device can be used for cleaning curtains, upholstered articles, and the like fabrics.

Bythe removal of the brush and with the pneumatic device on the machine as shown in Fig. 1,

and the nozzle adjusted to the front, the machine tures it is to be understood that the invention is- .may be run forward and back as a pneumatic sweeper. In this use the suds tank is taken oiT as unnecessary.

While we have described our invention in language moreor less specific as to structural feanot limited to the specific details shown, but that prise the preferred mode of several, forms of putting the invention into efiect and the-invention, therefore, is claimed in any of its forms or.

modifications within the legitimate and valid scope ofv the app nded claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. In a floor and floor cover cleaning machine; a rotating brush mounted beneath the machine, a rigid member pivoted to the machine, a nozzle carried by the rigid pivoted member and adjustable to a position infront or at either side'of all of its adjustments.

the .brush, and means carried by the machine for creating air; suction: through thenozzle' at 2. In a floor andfloor 'cover cleaning machinef a rotating brushlocated under the machine, a

-member pivoted at one end to the machine above and in the axisfof the rotating brush, a nozzle carried by the pivoted member and adjustable" to a position in front and at either side of the brush, a tube in upper and lower telescoping parts sup porting the nozzle forvertical adjustment of the nozzle, means carried by the machine forore- :ating a suction through-the tube and nozzle at all of its adjustments, and a handle for causing the machine to travel selectively toward or from the nozzle by varying the elevation of the outer end of the handle, said nozzle having a squeegee memher opening the nozzle on the side toward which the machine is'moving and closingit on 'the other side.

'3. In a floor and fioor cover cleaning machine,

a machine body, a horizontally'rotating brush mounted beneath the body, a handle bar attached .to themachine for machine manipulation, asuds tank discharging suds to the middle of the rotating brush, and a suction nozzle removing'suds deposited by the brush, said nozzle being carried the brush.

'40 ,by the machine body angularly adjustable'arou'nd V 4. In a fioor and floor cover cleaning machine,

a machine body, a horizontally rotating brush Y mountedbeneath thebody, a handle bar attached to the machine for machine manipulation, a suds I tank supported by the handle and discharging suds tothe rotating brush, a discharge nozzle above the middle of the brush, a tube through which the suds from the-tank are conveyedto the discharge nozzle, a valve between, the tankand nozzle, a suction nozzlecarried by the machine body'and adjustable horizontally around "the brush for removing suds deposited by the 5. In a floor and 'floor cover cleaning machine,

a machine body, a rotating brush mounted beneath the body, a handle bar attached to the machine body for machine manipulation, a suds tank'supported by the handle bar and a tubular connection from the tank for discharging suds to the horizontally rotating brush and a.suction nozzle adjustable horizontally around the horizontally rotating brush removing suds from the floor and floor cover, said nozzle being connected with the machine body.

6. In a floor and floor cover cleaning machine,

having a machine body, a rotating brush mounted beneath the body, a handle bar attached to the machine body for machine manipulation, and a suds tank supported by the handle bar; means for removably securing the tank to the handle bar comprising bands around the bar and tongues fixed to the tank, one of which is slippedunder a strap and the other of whichis bolted to a strap.

' zle being adjustable around the machine body,

covers, a machine body, a fan housing supported above and spaced from the body, a rotating fan in the housing, said'housing having an eye inlet,-a pipe elbow swlngingly mounted to discharge through the eye inlet, a nozzle, and pipe connections between the elbow and the nozzle,

said nozzle being adjustable'around'the machine body, r

8. In a machine for cleaning floors and floor 7 covers, apmachine body, a fan housing supported above andspaced from the body, a rotating fan in the housing, said housing having an eye inlet, a pipe elbow swingin'gly mounted to discharge through the eye inlet, a nozzle, and pipe connections between the elbow and the nozzle, said nozzle being adjustable around the machine body, and means for retaining a given lateral adjustment of the nozzle relative to the body.

9. In a machine for..cleaning floors and floor covers, a machine body, a fan housing supported above and spaced from the body, arotating fan in the housing, said housing having 'an eye inlet,

a pipe elbow swingingly mounted to discharge through the-eye inlet, a nozzle, and pipe connections between theelbow and the nozzle, said nozandmeans for retaining a given lateral adjustment of the nozzle relative to the body comprise ing a curved track fixed relative to the body and having indents, a lever carried with the nozzle having an end entering ancindent of the, track and a spring normally seating said end.

10. A removable pneumatic cleaner for floor scrubbers and polishers having a body, comprising a vacuum nozzle, a base member carried by the body, means carriedby the base member supporting the nozzle ina plurality of positions, a

fan housing carried by the base member and having an air inlet, a fan in the housing, a tank supported by said base member, said housing discharging into said tank, a bag air-strainer attached to-the tankfor dust filtering and air disnozzle is telescopically mounted, a hanger suspended from the suction pipe, a lever pivoted to the hanger and terminating with a bent end engaging one 'ofjthe holes of the annular band,

r 2,149,453 '7. In a machine for cleaning floors andfloor and manually controlled means for holding the end of the lever in the hole.- l g V 12. In amachine for the. purpose specified, a body, an annular band'secured to the body and having a plurality of spaced apart holes, a pneumatic nozzle having atubular discharge, a suction pipe on which the tubular member of the nozzle is telescopically mounted, a hanger sus- 1 pended from the suction pipe, a lever pivoted to V the-hanger and terminating with a bent end engaging one of the holes of-the annular band,

manually controlled means for holding the end oftop of the hanger to resist theaction of the spring; v e V 13. Ina iioor machine, a body, a hollowhandle bar attached to the body, a horizontal rotatable brush'removably's ecured to and under the body,

an electric motor mounted on the body and driving thebrush, a second electric motor supported from and above the body, an exhaust fan driven by the second motor, a nozzle connected by a conduit'with the eye of the fan and adjustable "-to diifrent sides of the horizontal brush, a handle at the outer end of the handle bar, an electric conductor entering the handle bar through the handle and supplying current to the two motors, and a switch in the conductor at the handle;

14. In a pneumatic cleaner, a suction pipe, a nozzle having a tubular neck telescoping on the pipe, a fixed collar surrounding the pipe, a hanger depending from the collar having one or more longitudinal slots opposite the nozzle, a bolt through each slot seated in the wall of the nozzle and allowing for adjustment of the nozzle longitudinally of the hanger.

15. In a cleaning and scrubbing machine, a circular machine body, a brush rotating under the body, a fan housing supported above the body, a rotating fan in the housing, said housing having an underside inlet opposite the eye of the fan with a depending flange having a tapering opening, a pipe elbow with a tapering end seated in the tapering opening, a pipeextending from the 7 other end of the elbow, the pipe being extended downwardly beyondthe circle of themachine body, a nozzle supported by the downward pipe extension, a pivot pin seated in a socket in the bottom of the elbow, and a set; screw contacting V 

